New student health survey will guide future services for campus

October 2, 2008

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida Healthy Gators 2010 Coalition has completed its first comprehensive student health survey. The survey gathered baseline data on a variety of relevant health topics for University of Florida students.

Findings will help health professionals and campus administrators identify priorities for campus programs and services that will subsequently contribute to the Coalition’s mission of creating a healthier campus for all members of the UF community.

“Our confidence in the survey findings is based on its rigorous research design, the care taken to design a survey tailored to UF students and the large number of UF students who completed the survey,” said Jill Varnes, vice chairwoman of Healthy Gators 2010 Coalition. More than 2,500 randomly selected students completed the on-line survey in spring 2008.

Approximately 25 professionals and health content experts at UF designed and implemented the comprehensive survey, which includes 243 health questions in 10 key health areas:

1. impediments to academic performance,
2. general health,
3. medical problems,
4. mental health, sleep and stress,
5. sexual health and contraception,
6. alcohol, tobacco and other drug use,
7. nutrition, weight and exercise,
8. sexual assault and violence,
9. vehicle safety and sunlight/UV exposure and
10. campus health services, resources and policies.

“This survey is useful to many people at UF, from health professionals to administrators to academicians,” said Shirley Haberman, chairwoman of the Healthy Gators 2010 Data Collection and Analysis Work Group. “The results will guide future decisions to better serve our students.”

Members of the UF community will have the opportunity to request the survey’s data set to assist them with scholarly endeavors, classroom assignments and future research. For more information about the survey, contact Haberman at shirleyh@ufl.edu or 392-1161, ext. 4281. The survey can be found at http://healthygators.hhp.ufl.edu/Student%20Survey.shtml.